Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1887-07-30
MEXICAN SUGAR FIELDS.

a Great ORporssnssy for Cspstal, bss Nens
FOR the Poor Now.
FANNIE B. ward. in Columbus Sunday Jour-
nall
Not only is Jalisco one Of the richest
Of the Mexican States, both in soil and
minerals, and most interesting in his
tory and scenic beauty, but it is one of
the most important in point Of size and
population, having an area of 101, 430
square kilometers and nearly million
inhabitants The future prosperity of
this section doubtless lies in the fact
that it is within Mexico's great sugar
cane belt Immediately along the
beach from San Bias, even farther
north than Mazatian. there is belt of
sandv soil ranging from five to ten
miles in land. Between that belt and
the foothills, nearly every acre in o
district fifteen miles wide, might be
utilized without irrigation for the inn
mediate cultivation of sugar-cane, and
even the sandy belt, like the desert
lands of California, has its possibilities
The Santiago River empties into the
sea about ten milee north of San Bias,
and the bottom lands of its valley are
extremely fertile, away up into the
mountain passes. The bottom lands of
this noble stream, added to the fifteen
mile belt above alluded to, are now
producing sugar-cane and rice, cotton,
tobacco and two crops of corn year, to
say nothing of the great variety of wild
tropical fruits. It is not an over
estimate to say that within this area
are 1000 square miles Of land capable
within three years of landing in New
York or San Francisco the largest sin
gle locality sugar crop in the world.
The expense of irrigation need not be
incurred, mad the sugar-cane here has
been proved to contain more sac
charine matter than that imported from
the Sandwich Islands.
Plenty of native labor in the plant
ing, harvesting, and manufacturing a
sugar crop can be relied on, at wages
ranging from 25 cents per diem to Is
cents for skilled labor. But though
Mexican laborers are patient, obedient,
and generally willing to work when
promptly paid, all the heads of the diff
ferent branches of the machinery
should be Americans possessed of some
knowledge of the Spanish language.
There is about enough manufactured
now to supply local demand and furn-
ish States of Sinaloa and Sonora. The
principal product is white loaf sugar,
averaging about Is cents per Mexican
pound, which is about 3 per cent more
than our pound. Another grade, granu-
lated and slightly darker, sells at 10
cents per pound. These varieties do
not grade at all with sugar produced in
the southern portion Of the United
States, and neither syrup nor molasses
is made or used in Jalisco.
But it should be distinctly under
stood that there is positively no field
here for poor man, and every enter
prise seeking Mexico for investment
must be supported with ample capital.
Land in any desirable locality no
longer retains title in the Government.
Nearly every foot of it is held by peo-
pie who retain title from the crown of
Spain, or from governments of the
country. Land is bought and sold in
immense grants, from fifty to 100 miles
square, for q lump sum and never by
the acre. Golden opportunities fire.
quently offer themselves for purchasing
some of the principalities at prices
which astonish the landowners Of the
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